Bicycle



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1. R. T. TORKELSON.

I BiGYOLE. No. 426,402. Patented Apr. 22 1890.

III/

(No Model.)

R. T. TORKELSON.

BICYCLE. No. 426,402. Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

Att"

we moms PETERS 1:0,, PHOTO-Limo, WASNINGYON. u c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REINHARD T. TORKELSON, OF HATFIELD, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO JOSEPH B. MOCUNE AND JOSEPH L. YOST, BOTH OF EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

BICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,402, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed June 18, 1889. Serial No. 314,700- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, REINHARD T. TORKEL- SON, of Hatfield, county of Hampshire, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Bicycles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to a bicycle of the kind now commonly known as a safety-bicycle, having two wheels of substantially small diameter connected by frame-work, the front wheel having its hearings in a fork that is pivotally connected with the frame-work extending to the bearings of the rear wheel, and the driving-power being applied to the rear wheel from pedals located at or near the front of the periphery of the rear wheel.

The present invention consists, mainly, in details of construction of the frame-work and means for actuating the working parts connected therewith, and relates especially to the construction of the fork supporting the bearings for the front wheel, to the pivotal connection between the said fork and framework extending to the rear wheel, to the saddie or seat-support for the rider, to the brake and means for actuating it,'and to the means for supporting the shaftrto which the power is directly applied and adjusting it with relation to the bearings of therear wheel, with which the said shaft is connected by chainand-sprocket gearing in the manner usually adopted in vehicles of this type, and also to the step or foot-rest employed by the rider in mounting the vehicle.

The main frame-work connecting the fork for the front wheel with the bearings for the rear wheel is of the kind commonly known as a diamond frame, having two portions or members that meet at the hub of the rear Wheel, one of said members extending downward from near the top of the fork and then backward to the hub of the rear wheel and supporting the driving-shaft near the junction of the downward and rearward portions,

and the other of said members extending rearward from the partpivotally connected of the rear' wheel and then downward to the hub of the rear wheel, the said rearward portion of the upper member of the frame supporting the seat or saddle, and both members being forked or made in two branches at their rearward part to receive the rear drivingwheel between them.

The vehicle is shown in this instance as actuated by a lever and clutch mechanism having substantially the principle of opera tion shown and described in Letters PatentNo. 334,325, to Joseph L. Yost, dated January 12, 1886, reissued September 6, 1887, No. 10,864; but it is not essential to the present invention that such actuating mechanism should be employed, as all features of the present invention are equally applicable to bicycles in which the usual shaft provided with cranks and pedals having a continuous rotary movement is employed.

Figure lis a side elevation of a bicycle embodying this invention, and Fig. 1 a detail thereof in front elevation, to be referred to 5 Fig. 2, a plan view of a portion thereof on a larger scale; Fig. 3, a sectional view showing the adjustable bracket or support on which the driving-shaft that stands at the front of the reanwheel is supported, in front elevation; Fig. 4, a longitudinal vertical sectional detail on line as, Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a longitudinal section of the steering-head or parts forming the joint between the fork supporting the bearings for the front wheel and themain frame-work extending therefrom to the rear wheel; Fig.6, a detail showing a portion of the brake-actuating mechanism in front elevation; Fig. 7, a detail of the step used in mounting, and Fig. 8 a side elevation of the saddle.

The general construction of the bicycle represented in Fig. 1 will first be briefly described, after which the various novel features will be described more fully in connection with the detail views thereof.

The bicycle comprises a front steeringwheel A and rear driving-wheel'B, the former having its bearings in a fork O, connected at its upper end with a post or upright D, provided with a handlebar having steering-handles E, and pivotally connected at F with the main frame H H I 1 extending to and connected with the bearings of the rear wheel B, the hub of which is provided with'a sprocketwheel B connected by a chain K with a sprocket-wheel L on a driving-shaft a, (see Figs. 2, 3, and 4,) connected with the lower portions I I of the main frame, as will be "thehub thereof.

"The lower member I I of the main frame "is'made with the portion 1, a singular tubular piece curved to be substantially concentric with the Wheel A, and rigidly connected at its lower end by a suitable forging or connecting piece I (see Figs. 2 and 4) with the portion 1 of the said frame, which consists of two tubes, forming a fork, that extend to and'un'ite with the lower end of the fork H at the bearings for the rear wheel. tubes 1 converge toward one another as they The said advance from the hub of the wheel B to a point near the bracket I but for a short distance from said bracket are made substantially parallel, as shown in Fig. 2, the said portion affording a support for the bracket b,

on which the bearings for the driving-shaft a are mounted. The said shaft a, carrying the sprocket L, before referred to, is shown in this instance as actuated by pedal-levers h, (see Fig. 1,) having a vibrating movement and connected with said shaft by a ratchetclutch and gearing having substantially the same principle of operation as shown in the said patent to Yost before referred to; but for an understanding of the present invention it is unnecessary to describe this connection 'in' detail, it being understood merely that the driving-power is applied to the shaft a more or less directly from pedals operated by the feet of the rider, and, if desired, the said shaft a might be provided with cranks outsideof its bearings in the bracket b,-as

shown in dotted lines at the top of Fig. 2, the

"saidcranks having pedals operated by the feet with a rotary motion, as is well known in bicycles of this kind.

This part of the present invention relates especially to the construction of the bracket b, that supports the shaft a, and to the corresponding part I of the frame and the means for connecting the said bracket with the said frame, one of the objects being to make the driving mechanism readily interchangeable, so that either the Vibrating-lever action or the'rotating-crank action may be adopted as preferred, it being necessary only to'have brackets 12 and shafts a thereinprovided with either desired means for actuating the said shaft, either one of which may be substituted for the other without change in any other part of the machine. The said bracket bis provided with projections 12 that extend either above or below the frame-pieces '1 as may be preferred, they'being in this instance shown as extended below to afford bearings for the shaft'a, which thus extends transversely to the frame-piece 1 without interfering therewith. .One side of the bracket 12 is arched up, as shown at 17 to make room for the sprocket-wheel L and the chain, and for symmetry the other side is also represented as arched up, and when the lever action is adopted the arched-up portions b also receive upon them the stops V, that limit the backward vibrations of the levers h.

When the lever construction is adopted, the portions 19 of the bracket are also extended forward, as shown at b, to form a support for the pin 2', on which the lever h vibrates; but when the crank construction is adopted such forward extension 6 of the bracket is unnecessary and may be omitted, as represented in the dotted lines in the upper part of Fig. 2, which represents all that is necessary for the crank construction of the machine. (See also dotted lines, Fig. 4.), The said bracket b,that

supports the bearings for the shaft a, is provided with recesses b, or otherwise shaped to seat upon the frame-piecesP, to which it is secured by a T-shaped clamp c, that bears upon the said frame-piece I opposite to the bearing parts of the bracket 1), and is provided with a bolt or stem 0 extending up between the frame-piece I and through a suit- 1 able opening in the bracket 1), above which it is provided with a nut 0 by which the bracket and clamp maybe drawn tightly together and looked upon the said frame-piece.

By slackening the nut c the bracket and its clamp may be moved longitudinally on the frame-piece I to adjust its position with relation to the hub, of the drivingwheel B, so as to bring the chain K to the proper tension. To facilitate this adjustment of the bracket on the frame, an adj usting-bolt 01 extends from the bracket 1) or from its clamp cto the piece I that connects the parts I I of the frame, (see Fig. 4,) so that by turning the said bolt when the nut c is loosened the bracket may be moved along the frame-piece, and when brought to the proper position it is again clamped by tightening the nut 0 so as to relieve the adjusting bolt d from strain. By this means for supporting and adjusting the shaft or the adjustment may be quickly and easily made, and the said shaft is held very firmly in a position parallel with the hub of the wheel B, and the entire construction is very simple and inexpensive.

In order to diminish shocks or jars produced by unevenness of the road or surface on which the vehicle is traveling, 'the' fork G is connected with the steering-post 'D by a yielding connection, making what is commonly called a fspring-fork, the specific construction of which yielding connection constitutes one of the features of this invention, being represented in Fig. 1 and in front elevation in Fig. 1. The steering-post D, or part connected directly with the handles E and pivotally connected with the frame extending to the rear wheel, is in accordance with this invention extended forward, as shown at c, Fig. 1, a short distance above the periphery of the front wheel A, and is then branched clownward, making a short fork (2 over the rim-of the front wheel A. The upper ends of the branches of the fork C unite or bridge over the rim of the wheel A some distance at the rear of the fork c and are connected by springs e one at each side of the rim of the wheel-with the short fork e or forward extension of the steering post. The said springs are shown as made of stout wire, having a coil near each extremity, and thus yielding'easily to accommodate the up and down motion of the upper end of the fork O with relation to the steering-post without appreciably yielding to strain upon said fork in any other direction, and to furthersteady the movement of the fork C with relation to the steeringhead so that it can yield in a substantially vertical direction, only the lower ends of the short fork e are connected with the sides of the fork O a short distance below its upper end by links (2, thus preventing any considerable fore and aft motion of the lower part of the fork with relation to the steeringhead. In other words, the springs e practically constitute elastic links parallel with the links 6 and the combined action of these parts e e causes the fork O to move up and down with a parallel motion- 1I. e, its different positions being substantially parallel to fork O with relation to the steering-head.

The connection between the steering-head or upright that carries the handles E and the main frame extending to the rear of the machine is represented in Fig. 5, and is substantiallyindependent of the specific construction of the two parts of the frame connected by it-that is, the invention, so far as relates to this connection or joint between these two parts of the frame, is not limited to the specitic construction of the fra1ne-piecest. 6., O on one side and H I]? I I on the other side connected by it-bnt is equally applicable to a frame having a rigid fork or a spring-fork of any other construction than the one last described for the front wheel, and any suitable frame-work extending from said joint to the rear wheel. The said joint, as shown in Fig. 5, comprises a post or upright f, the lower end of which is connected directly or indirectly, as just described, with the fork for the front wheel, it being necessary only that such connection be so made that the front wheel will turn to vary the position of its plane of rotation for steering as the said post fis turned. The said post f supports near its lower end a bearing-piece f (shown as cone-shaped,) and the frame-work II I, extending to the rear wheel, is rigidly connected with a tubular piece or sleeve F fitting loose- 1y over the said post f and provided at its lower end with a bearingpiece f resting upon and co-operating with the bearing-piece f at the lower end of the post f. The sleeve F is provided at its upper end with a similar bearing-piece f co-operating with a corresponding bearing-piece f adjustable on the post f, the said bearing-piece f being threaded to turn on a threaded portion f on p the bearing-post.

The bearing-piecesf f and f f may have their bearing-surfaces made in any suitable or usual Way, and with any suitable or usual form of anti-friction devices; but the conebearings shown are believed to be thoroughly efficient and most desirable.

A washer f rests upon the upper end of the bearing-piece f and has a downwardly-projecting flange to cover the joint, so as to prevent the access of dust to it.

The adjustment of the bearing-piece f con-. trols the pressure on both the upper and lower bearings and when properly adjusted is fastened by a tubular piece or sleeve g, the lower end of which is threaded to form a nut that screws upon the thread f of the post f,

and thus acts as a check-nut for thebearing- I piece f the said sleeve g, however, extending up around the post f above the bearing f as shown, and being of such size as to leave a cylindrical space or chamber f 8 between the postf and the sleeve g. The said post f also has a longitudinal groove j", which receives within it an internal rib or projection k (see Fig. 6) on the tubular shank 7t of the handlebar E the said tubular shank k-fitting between the post f and sleeve 9 in the space f before referred to, and being capable of sliding up and down with a telescopic movement in said case,while the projection and groove f preventindependent rotary motion, so that when the handle bar E is turned it will, through the connections is, g, and f, turn the front wheel-fork and front wheel with relation to the main frame-work H I, extending to the rear wheel and supporting the rider and driving mechanism.

In order to fasten the handle-bar shank 7t,

when adjusted to the proper height, the upnection is afforded from the handle-bar to thei front wheel-fork. a

The brake and its actuating mechanism are best shown i n F igs.,1, 5, and-6. The brakem acts. on the frontportion ofthe periphery of the drivingrwheel, being pivoted on a bracket .m (see Figs. 2 and e,), eonnectedwith one ,of the frame-pieces l Thesaid brake has an .arm mi, (see Fig. t) connected by arod m with one end of a 1inkm (see Figs. 1 and 5,) pivoted to thehead portion F of .the main frame. The outerend of said link m is connected by a .pair of rods m one passing ,at each side of the frame-piece H-with acrosshead m", in. which thelower end of a two-part telescoping rodm3isswiveled. The telescoping of saidrod m is for thepurposeof providingadj ustments in length corresponding toadjust ments in height of the handle-bar, as the upper end of said rod is connected with actuating leverson said I handle-bar, and the swiveled connection between it andthe cross-head'rrfi, .or atany point between its connectionwith the part on the handle-bar and its connection with the link mi, accommodates the swinging or steering motion. of the parts connected with the. handle-bar and frontwheel. with relation to the parts supported on the rear frame-work. It will be seen that upward movement of the connecting-piece m m m", as controlled by the link m will produce a substantiallylongitudinal movement of the rodmt in the direction to press the brake on against the wheel.

Itis most convenient for therider that the handle-by which the brake isapplied should be below the steering-handle and move upward viniapplying the brake. Thesaid brakehandle n'(see Fig. 1) is thus placed below the steering-handle. E and is formed at the end of a. lever n (seeFig. 6,) pivotedvat n upon thehandle-bar. Thus the upward movement ofthe handle a produces adownward movement of the opposite end of the lever, and in order to effect an upward movement of the brak'errod m the said brake-lever n? is connected at n with the second lover a, pivoted atn on the handle-bar and connectedat its other end with the rod m The connection between the levers n and a may be made by a pin connected with one working in a, slot connected with the other, as shown, so as to accommodate the movement of the connected ends in different arcs, as is required, and by the employment of the compound lever the upward movement of the brake-handle 92 causes the brake to be applied.

The construction of the mounting-step is best shown in Fig. 7,,in which the usual stationary spindle on which the rear wheel turns is represented at 0, being threaded as usual toreceive an adjustable bearing-piece 0 for one end ofthe rear-wheel hub. Outside the said vbearing-piece the thin portion H of the main-wheel-connecting frame fits over the spindle 0 and acts as a washer, or is dripped between thebearing-piece 0 and a nut 0 that screws theouter end of the shaft 0. Thus tightening the nut o locks together the rear wheel and framea-ndalso locks the bearingner.

piece in proper position, all in the usual man- In the present invention, however, the said nut 0 has made integral with it an axial extension 0 the surface of which is roughened or. knurled, so as to afford a secure hold for the foot, and thus constitute a step insteadof requiring an independent part attached to the frame at or near this point, as is usual in machines of this class.

The saddle T is shown as supportedupon thev usual elbow-shaped piece R, adjustable vertically in its socket H (see Fig. 1) and having the entire saddle adjustablefore and aft on its horizontal portion. The said saddle consists ofa piece of leather or other flexible material supported at the frontand rear ends ends of saidsprings being directed vertically downward, as shown at F, to form shanks that pass through vertical sockets, in therigid longitudinal frame-plates t 13 preferably longitudinally adjustable upon oneanothenso as to move the springs at the forward and rear ends of the saddle bodily apart, and thus provide for proper tension of the saddle. The shank portions 2550f the springsare vertically adjustable in theirsockets, the springsat the front and rear being capableof independent adjustment, so that the saddle may be canted or set at any inclination fore andaft which may be preferred by the rider, and this valuable feature would be attained equally if the said springs hadv their sockets in a single frame-plate instead of on twoplates adjustable with relation to one another. The said adjustment of the plates 15 t with relation to one another for the purpose of varying the tension of the saddle may be easily effected by means of an adjusting-boltt turning in a threaded lug upon the plate 27, as shown, and bearing upon the plate t, and the plates are securely fastened together by means of a nut if", working in a bolt connected with the socket-piece 25 that is fastenedto the saddlesupport R.

The fastening of the spring-shanks when properly adjusted may be effected by the usual set-screws, as indicated, and an, additional bolt or fastening 1 maybe employed to hold the spring-supporting plates 15 15 together in case it is desired to remove the saddle from the socket-piece t It should be understood that the springs at each end of the saddle are in pairs so' that their lower ends i will pass at each side of the supporting-piece R, if required, in. the foreand aft adjustment of the saddle on its supporting-piece.

'I claim- 1. A bicycle comprising front steeringand ported in bearings therein longitudinally adjustable on said branches I and a clamp for fastening said bracket, and an adjusting-bolt for moving the said bracket along the said frame-work substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a bicycle, a spring-fork comprising a rigid fork connected with bearings for the wheel, said fork having its branches united and terminating above the periphery of the wheel, a steering post or head provided with a short fork embracing the periphery of the wheel, springs connecting the forked steeringpost with the fork that is connected with the wheel-bearings, and links also connecting said parts, as described, said springs and links being at the sides of the wheel near its periphery and affording a yielding connection between the steering and wheel-bearing portions of the fork and insuring a substantially parallel motion of said wheel-bearing portion as it yields, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the steering-post f, connected with the steering-wheel fork or frame and provided with a bearing-surface at its lower end and a second bearing-surface above the first and longitudinally adjustable on said post, a frame extending to the rear wheel, having bearingsurfaces co-operating with those on the steering-post, a nut for looking the adjustable bearing-piece on said post, and sleeve extending upward from said nut around the said post, a handlebar with a shank therefor longitudinally adjustable in the space between said post and sleeve-nut, connected to rotate therewith in its different longitudinal positions, and a clamp for fastening the said shank against longitudinal movement, substantially as described.

4:. A bicycle comprising front steering and rear driving wheels and a frame connecting the same, combined with a brake pivoted on said frame to co-operate with the rear wheels, rods or links connecting the same with a short lever pivoted on the handle-bar, and a second lever pivoted on the handle-bar and engaged with the first and provided with operating-handles below the steering-handle of the handle-bar, substantially as described.

5. A bicycle comprising front and rear wheels and frame-work connecting the same, an axial pin or shaft supported in said frame and itself supporting the bearings for the rear wheel, and a nut for fastening the said shaft with relation to the said frame, the said nut being provided with an integral axial extension constituting a mountingstep, substantially as'and for the purpose described.

6. A bicycle-saddle comprising a leather seat, springs supporting the forward and rear ends of said seat and provided with substantially vertical shanks, and a longitudinal frame -piece in which said shanks are fastened, being vertically adjustable therein to vary the relative heights of the front and rear ends of the saddle, substantially as described. v

7. A bicycle-saddle comprising a leather seat, springs supporting the forward and rear ends of said seat and provided with substantially vertical shanks, and a longitudinal frame-piece made in two parts, one longitudinally adjustable with relation to the other for the purpose of adjusting the tension of the saddle, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the steeringpost f, connected with the steering-wheel fork or frame, and provided with a bearing-surface at its lower end and a second bearing surface above the first and longitudinally adjustable on said post, a frame extending to the rear wheel, having bearing-surfaces co-operating with those on the steering-post, a nut for locking the adjustable bearing-piece on said post, and sleeve extending upward from said nut around the said post, a handle-bar with a shank thereforlongitudinally adj ustable in the space between said post and sleeve, but connected to rotate therewith in its different longitudinal positions, a washer betweensaid bearing-piece and sleeve with a downwardly turned flange, and a clamp for fastening the said shank against longitudinal movement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

REINHARD 'r. TORKELSON.

Witnesses:

C. S. SHUT'rUoK, WINTI-IROP DELANO. 

